Annunciator.



J. F. WEBSTER.

Ammumcmoa. APPLICATION FI'LED JUNE 6. I9I6.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.;

INVENTOR Wm. WITNESSES ATTOR NEY J. F. WEBSTER.

' ANNUNCIATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. I916.

4 SNEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR J0 12 F! W ebsien ATTORNEY 1m: "cums Plum: m. rflnm Lima, wannnvmam'n c Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

J. F. WEBSTER.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1916.

Patented Dec. 12. 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ATTORN EY mr Mwms PEYERS 1:o.PNom-LImo.wAsmNcmN u c,

J. F. WEBSTER.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 19l6.

INVENTOR' I m Wbsler.

6 I 94. Wm

T B 0 m m g m 7 /7/ P 2 'WITNESSES ATTORNEY Flt-WIFE.

ANNUNGIATOB.

Application filed June 6, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lineboro, in the county of Carroll and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to ann-unciators for party line telephone systems, and the nature and objects thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings, illustrating, what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment or mechanical expression of my invention from among other forms and arrangements within the spirit thereof, or the scope of the appended claims.

However, an object of the invention is to provide an annunciator for use in connection with each subscribers set of a party line telephone system whereby when the party line is in use, and an eavesdropper subscriber removes his receiver from its hook, a series of audible signals will be transmitted over the main leads of the system thereby informing the calling and answering subscribers of the identity of the intruder.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in an annunciator of the character described for preventing the operation of the signaling mechanism of a calling sub scriber who is the first one to call on an open line, and the answeringsubscriber; the annuneiators of the remaining subscribers be ing in position for immediate actuation upon the release of their receiver hooks as before mentioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide an annunciator which may be used as an attachment for connection-to the instrument box of a subscriber on a party line, without necessitating the alteration of any part of the standard calling and receiving set.

In addition to the foregoing, my invention comprehends improvements'in the detail of construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in which they appear: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 19%.

Serial No. 102,021.

illustrating the elements of my invention and its local wiring andconnection with a subscribers set. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a relay for preventing the actuation of an annunciator of a calling subscriber.

3 is a view in end elevation of the intermittent circuit closer and associated mechanism. Fig. 4' is a view in plan of the circuit closer. Figs. 5 and 6 are views in elevation from opposite sides of the mechanism shown in the two preceding figures. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the circuit closer. Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the audible signal, and transmitter. Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of a switch associated with the receiver hook for initiating actuation of the intermittent circuit closer, and Fig. 10 is a-view in end elevation of the device shown in'the preceding figure.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of my invention, the attention of the reader is called to the fact that while I propose to provide an annunciator for each subscriber of a party line telephone system, the annunciators are all identical in construction, and hence a description of one annunciator and the manner of its connection with a single subscriber will be suflicient for a comprehension of the entire system.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, A and B are the main leads of a party line telephone system, and C, D and E respectively the transmitter, receiver and inductance element of a subscribers set, the receiver hook of which is designated 1. A switch is provided for actuation by the receiver hook and as illustrated to advantage in Figs." 9 and 10, is seen to comprise contact fingers 2 and 3, formed of resilient metal, the contact member 2 being longer than the other and formed at its terminal with an-ofl'-'set portion 4, which is adapted to be engaged by a finger 5 movable with the receiver hook and formed by bending a strip of material upon itselfand separating its ends to embrace the receiver hooktl1erebetween. The ends 6 of said member are apertured to receive a clamping screw 7. The contact members 2 and?) are mutually insulated and held in normally spaced relation in a blockof insulation 8, which may be secured to the inner side of the instrument boX of the subscriber. It will be obvious that when the receiver hook is permitted to risev owing to the removal therefrom of the receiver, the off-set portion 4 of the member 2 will be engaged by the finger 5, and said contact members held in engagement during the time the hook remains in raised position.

The switch just described is connected by means of a lead 9 to a source of current 10, and by means of a lead 11 to the electromagnets 12 of an intermittent circuit closer and associated mechanism designated generally as F. Referring to Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive, in which figures the intermittent circuit closer and operating mechanism is illustrated to better advantage, 13 designates vertical spaced frame members at the upper portion of which the electro-magnets 12 are supported.

An armature 14 is provided in operable relation to the poles of the electro-magnets, and is mounted upon the upper end of an oscillatable arm 15 formed upon a shaft 16 journaled in the frame and formed with a downwardly extending arm 17, having a flattened terminal 18. A shaft 19 is iournaled in the frame and extends transversely therethrough and parallel with the shaft 16, and is provided at one end with a wheel 20 having a serrated edge, and a stop wheel 21 located for peripheral engagement with the terminal 18 of the arm 17 and having a peripheral notch 22. The shaft 19 is further provided with a pinion 23 which is in mesh with a train of gears 24 which are designed to transmit motion from the shaft 19 from a pinion 25 mounted on a motor shaft 26 of a motor, illustrated conventionally at 27 A shaft 28 is mounted in the frame parallel to the previously mentioned shafts and is formed with a finger 29 disposed in close relation to the serrated wheel 20, said shaft 28 being further provided with a depending contact arm 30 whichis connected by means of a lead 31 to an electric vibratory signaling element G, to be hereinafter more particularly described. contact with a contact member 32 which is mounted upon the base 33, upon which base the frame and motor are supported. The contact 32 is connected by means of a lead 34 to the source of current 10.

A shaft 35 is journaled in the frame plates 13 and disposed transversely thereof and formed at one end with a finger 36 having at its terminal a block of insulation 37, which is in position for engagement by the terminal 18 of the arm 17. The other end of the shaft 35'is formed with a depending arm 38 which is extended across the base, and provided at its terminals with a contact point 39, adapted for electrical engagement with an adjustable contact point 40,,supported in a bracket 41, rising from the base. The shaft 35 is in electrical connection by means of a lead 42 to a binding post 43 of the motor, the other binding post of said motor be- The arm 30 is adapted to ing connected by means of a lead 44 to the source of current at one of its terminals, the other terminal of the source of current being connected to the bracket 41 by means of a conductor 45. The first mentioned terminal of the battery is also in connection by means of a lead 46 with the electro-mag nets 12.

The signaling and sound wave converting mechanism of my invention is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 8, and comprises a vibratory eleemnt or buzzer G, one binding post 47 of which is connected to the lead 31, which as previously mentioned is connected to the shaft 28, while the other binding post 48 is connected by means of a lead 49 to the source of current. A transmitter H of standard type is disposed in close relation to the buzzer, and may be contained along with the buzzer in a receptacle or casing 50. One binding post of the transmitter is designed to be connected in circuit with the source of current and one of the main leads A of the telephone system by means of leads 51 and 52 respectively, while the other binding post is in connection with the main lead B by means of a conductor 53.

Proceeding now with a consideration of the operation of my invention, it may be assumed that the party line is in use and our attention is directed to the annunciator and instrument set of a subscriber who is about to intrude upon the conversation. As the eavesdropper permits upward movement of the receiver hook owing to the removal of his receiver therefrom, the contact members 2 and 3 are moved into engagement in the manner previously described. As a result ofsuch engagement, the electro-magnets 12 are energized thereby attracting the armature 14 in turn oscillating the arm 15. The shaft 16 is then obviously rotated sufficient to disengage the terminal 18 from the wheel 21. Simultaneous with the above described operation, and upon a continued movement of the terminal 18, the block of insulation 37 is engaged, thereby, ultimately bringing the contact point 39 in engagement with its coacting point 40 whereupon the motor is immediately placed in circuit with the source of current. Rotation of the motor obviously having taken place, its power is transmitted through the train of gearing to the shaft 19. The wheel 21 having become released from engagement with the terminal 18, the wheel 20 is permitted to rotate, and the finger 29 engaged by its serrated edge. The serrations of the wheel 20, are formed in such a manner as to transmit a series of electrical impulses, by the contact of the arm 30 with the contact 32, so as to actuate the buzzer and cause the production of signals thereby, corresponding in number, duration and intervals to the signal to which the eavesdropper responds when called.

The audible signals of the buzzer are then transmitted by the receiver H to the main leads of the system, and all subscribers who may have obtained prior use of the line will be informed as to the indentity of the intruder, as the signals will be plainly audible in their receivers. The signals will furthermore, be continuously produced as long as the eavesdroppers receiver hook remains in raised position. After his receiver hook is again depressed however, the motor circuit will be broken owing to the deenergization of the electro-magnets, and the momentum of the moving parts will continue to ro tate the shaft 19 until the terminal 18 becomes engaged in the notch 22, whereupon the mechanism becomes at rest. In this position of the mechanism, the terminal of the finger 29 is in engagement with a smooth portion of the wheel 20, and hence the arm 80 will be held out of engagement with its coacting contact member 32, and no signals will be produced.

For preventing the actuation of the annunciator of a calling subscriber who first gains the use of the line, I propose to use any one of several methods, one of which I have illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2. The leads 9 and 11 of the switch mechanism which is operated by an upward movement of the receiver hook, are connected to the armature 54: and a contact point 55 respectively of a relay, whose electromagnet is designated 56. The relay magnet is connected across the main leads A and B, in a circuit in which the receiver hook and a contact 57 engageable by said receiver hook, is interposed.

In the operation of this device, when the calling subscriber removes his receiver from its hook, his annunciator mechanism is actuated, and the operator at the central station may be informed by listening to the signals, of the number of the calling subscriber. After the subscriber is identified, the central operator sends an impulse of current over the leads, said impulse being of a selective nature and designed to energize the relay of the calling subscriber and none other. When the magnet 56 of the relay is energized, its armature 54 is attracted thereby breaking the circuit through the switch device formed by the contacts 2 and 3, and further actuation of the annunciator mechanism is prevented. Thus it will be seen that this device not only forms a lockout means for the calling subscribers annunciator, but also provides a signaling means to inform the central operator of the subscribers number.

The various elements of my invention, while illustrated in the accompanying drawings as separate mechanisms, if desired may with the exception of the receiver hook switch be inclosed in a casing, and supplied to the trade for attachment to the subscribers sets of a party line telephone system.

While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations thereover may be made, and l. therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction, or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An annunciator of the character described, comprising an intermittent circuit closer including a wheel having a serrated periphery, a stop wheel rotatable therewith, a motor for rotating both wheels, a releasable stop engaging said stop wheel, an oscillatable arm, a finger movable with said arm and engageable by the stop when the same is disengaged from the wheel, an electro-magnet for releasing the stop, normally spaced contacts in circuit with the electromagnet and a source of current, a contact engageable by the arm, said arm and contact being connected in series with the motor and the source of current, an oscillatable arm engaging the serrated periphery of the first mentioned wheel, a contact engageable by said arm, a buzzer in circuit with said arm, contact and the source of current, and a transmitter disposed in close relation to the buzzer.

2. An annunciator of the character described, including a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, a serrated wheel and a stop wheel mounted on the shaft, an electromagnet mounted on the frame, a shaft journaled in the frame, a finger on the shaft engaging the stop wheel, an arm on the shaft, an armature on the arm, said finger being releasable from engagement with the wheel when the electro-magnet is energized, a motor for rotating the wheel shaft, a circuit closer operable by the stop finger for closing the motor circuit, a signal, a circuit closer operated by the serrated wheel for actuating the signal, and a transmitter located in close relation to the buzzer.

3. An annunciator of the character described, including in combination with a subscribers set of a party line telephone system an intermittent circuit closer, an audible signal operable by said circuit closer, means for actuating the circuit closer, means for initiating operation of said actuating means, a relay the armature of which is normally in engagement with a contact, normally spaced contacts connected in series with said armature, contact and initiating means, whereby when the receiver hook is in raised position, the relay may be energized actuating the circuit closer, means for initiating operation of said actuating means, a relay Which includes an electro-magnet, an armature normally spaced therefrom, a contact engaged by the armature, said electro-magnet being in series With one of the main leads of the system and the receiver hook, a contact engageable by the receiver hook and connected to the other main lead,

normally spaced contacts in series with the relay armature, contact and the aforesald initiating means, whereby When the receiver hook is in raised position, the relay may be energized by an impulse proceeding from the central station, and the initiating means rendered inoperative, and means for con verting the audible signals into current impulses for transmission over the leads when the receiver hook of an eavesdropper subscriber is raised and his relay not energized.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN F. WEBSTER.

Vitnesses CARROLL G. VVISEHEIM,

WVM. P. GETTIER.

" Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

